Benefit's Total Moisture Facial Cream

Before I tell you about this moisturiser, know that I have areas of really dry skin - like so dry it cracks. This is mostly down to my eczema, and some areas of my face (like my chin) do stay oily and are prone to the odd spot, however my eczema really bothers me, especially in winter as it worsens, so I'm always on the lookout for new hydrating products (as you may be aware if you read some of my previous skin care posts). 

I came across this moisturising cream by chance, after being approached by a Benefit sales assistant who wanted to show me their new eyeliner (it really doesn't budge once you've put it on, which many people love about it but I hate). She then started encouraging me to try lots of the other Benefit products, at which point I panicked slightly - I'm not made of money! These included the Hello Flawless Oxygen Wow foundation (love) and the Total Moisture Facial Cream. 

When the sales assistant began applying the moisturiser the first thing I noticed about it was how refreshing it felt on my skin, then there was the smell. Something smelt lovely, fresh and fruity in a such a soft, subtle way. I spent a good five minutes trying to figure out if what I could smell was the facial cream or a perfume the lady was wearing on her wrists! I didn't know what it was but I loved it, and was about to ask her what perfume she was wearing when she mentioned that the ingredients included mango seed butter. Mmm mango.

Not only does the cream feel great and smell fabulous (I've never had a moisturiser that smells so fresh!) it works amazingly too. Most moisturisers keep my skin hydrated for the good part of an hour, then my skin goes dry and flaky. This one however lasts a lot longer. Due to the consistency of the cream I usually apply it to my face then leave it for about 10 minutes to let it sink in properly before putting on my make-up - otherwise it sits on the surface of my skin and leaves my foundation looking shiny and feeling moist, which isn't fun.

As with all Benefit products, this cream aint cheap. Despite this you do get a lot of cream in this one little jar (and how gorgeous is the jar may I just add?) and it works wonders so you are definitely getting what you pay for. I highly recommend this cream to anyone with problematic dry skin, if you want to try it head over to the Benefit counter and ask; they are usually happy to let you try the products there and then, and will sometimes give you a free sample too. 

I don't usually like to pay a lot for skincare, however I think it's worth investing in a product if it does you good. I couldn't quite justify purchasing the foundation to go with it however! 

The Perfect Nude

Introducing my current favorite lipstick - Bourjois Rouge Edition in 02 Beige Trench! 

After spending some time looking around for a simple nude lipstick which would suit my skin tone and give a hint of glam to an ordinary daytime look, I found this! 

Colour

Although I love my bright colours for summer I like to have an alternative for a casual daytime look. I have a rather pale skin-tone and fair hair so I don't tend to suit an orange toned lip and usually opt for more beigey colours. This lipstick really complements the natural colouration of my lips, giving them a glossy deep pink shine. I'd say it borders on purple tones, giving a slightly darker look than your normal pinky nudes. The pigmentation is good, however it fades quite quickly so you do have to re-apply this often (which I do not mind at all due to the lovely texture!)

Wearability

Compared to the others I own this is one very hydrating and smooth lipstick, which I love about it. I find myself wanting to re-apply this hourly because of the way it feels! I also find the colour to be pretty versatile; as it is a nude beige this is a great lipstick to wear for an every-day look, however I have taken this with me on nights out and it can be used for many different styles! The colour also makes it perfect to wear all year round.

To buy or not to buy?

If you are not a fan of a bright or bold lip and are looking for something that will just add a touch of glam without staining your lips or drying them out, this is absolutely perfect. It can be worn for a range of looks, whatever the season and does not cost much so I consider this a very worthwhile purchase! 

I'd love to know your favorite nude lipsticks, let me know in the comments!

The Body Shop: Lip Butters

I've always loved Body Shop products but had never purchased any of their Lip Butters before (at least not for myself - I find they make great little add-ons to birthday and Christmas presents!) so a few months ago I decided to pick one up. The first Lip Butter I chose was the Mango pot, which at the time I bought with the Mango Body Butter. Both of these smell lovely and fruity. They have such a summery, fresh, scent and the Lip Butter quickly replaced the little tin of Aloe Vera Vaseline in my handbag as my go-to item for sore or dry lips (I still love you though, Vaseline).

I find the Lip Butters are a lovely smooth consistency, smell amazing and do not leave your lips looking ridiculously shiny. They also make a great base for lipstick - I tend to put some on about 10 or 15 minutes before I apply my lipstick to let the butter sink in a bit and moisturise beforehand!

I was given the Chocomania Lip Butter as a gift by a lovely friend of mine who basically gave me a Body Shop hamper for my birthday (amazing!) and it smells fantastic. It's so delicious and really reminds me of chocolate cake, so much so that I don't choose this to wear as often as the others in case it makes me hungry!

The Blueberry Lip Butter is from a range The Body Shop have only brought back recently. Apparently the Blueberry products were discontinued for a while, so I'm very glad they bought these back as I wasn't previously aware they existed! Again, this Lip Butter smells fab. It's not necessarily a blueberry scent but it is very sweet and gorgeous. If sweet scents aren't your cup of tea then maybe give this one a miss.

The most recent pot I bought was the Strawberry version. I've always thought of the Strawberry products as a Body Shop classic (perhaps because the body butter in this range was the first thing I ever tried) and the smell brings back fond memories, however this is another scent that is a little sickly sweet. It's the kind of strawberry scent that reminds you of medicine, which you may love or hate.

Its definitely hard to pick a favorite but I have become really addicted to the Blueberry Lip Butter and I still can't get over the smell of Chocomania! One I would still really like to try is Coconut - let me know if you've used this one and how you found it :D I have the Coconut Cream Body Scrub and it smells wonderful like ice cream!